JOHN HOWARD (b. 1817, d. 1892),

son of the Rev. Thomas Howard and Nessy Stowell, daughter of
Thomas Stowell, C.R., was educated at King William's College.
Ordained in 1841, priested in 1842, he was for a short time a master
in his old school, and then served in curacies in Liverpool,
Castletown, and elsewhere. In 1847, he was appointed Vicar of Onchan,
where he remained till his death. JOHN HOWARD's character was a
remarkable one. He combined great kindliness of heart and sweetness
of disposition with a quick temper and readiness to take offence.
This, with his equal readiness to resort to physical force,
frequently got him into trouble. He was noted for his physical
strength and agility as well as for the considerable mental ability
which he showed both as a preacher and a raconteur. He had an
everflowing stream of excellent stories and was, consequently, a most
entertaining companion. As a parish priest, he was distinguished by
his reverent performance of the church services-his singularly
beautiful voice being used with great effect-and for the genuine
sympathy and real love which he had for the poor.